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The John Wick franchise is best known for its stylish violence, yet that does not prevent the franchise from participating in subtle and creative storytelling.
Director Chad Stahelski, who is a fan of classical music, Greek mythology, paintings, and action, has included several Easter eggs in the John Wick films. These aren't the kind of obvious references you might find in a Marvel movie; they're a little more subtle in the Keanu Reeves-led franchise, and fans have to be extra-attentive to catch them.
Keanu Reeves' stunt double to the song played in Chapter 4: 7 Easter eggs you probably didn't notice in the John Wick Films
1) Security guard reading a master assassin book
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In the first film, there's a scene where a security guard is seen reading Shibumi by Trevanian. It's a book about a master assassin who wants to live a quiet existence but gets tempted to his killing ways. Does it seem familiar?
Whether or not this was just a great acknowledgment or reflective of the reality that the character from the book resonates with the personality of John, it is a relevant reference that fans of the franchise would love to know.
2) The writer's grandfather inspired John Wick's name
Here's a little piece of personal flair and easter egg: Keanu Reeves' character's name wasn't decided out of thin air. Writer Derek Kolstad chose to name the character after his grandfather, John Wick, who was 88 at the time.
It was a sweet little touch, but a sincere one, and certainly adds a personal touch to the gritty storyline of the franchise.
3) The song the DJ plays in Chapter 4
In John Wick: Chapter 4, there is a grand Parisian scene where a DJ relays Wick's actions to the criminal underworld through cryptic radio broadcasts. The whole setup appears as a creative segment, but it is a nostalgic nod to the 1979 cult classic, The Warriors.
4) Relation between his watch & training
Fans have paid attention to how John keeps his watch throughout the series. It's facing the inside of his wrist. While most fans wouldn't even catch on, it is a military way of wearing wrist watches.
Military men like to keep their watches in this manner so that they don't get glare or interference when on missions. Undoubtedly, for a man who has been trained to kill as best he can and stay hidden, it is ideal.
5) The director was Keanu's stunt double
Here's a small behind-the-scenes trivia. The director of the John Wick films, Chad Stahelski, was Keanu Reeves' stunt double for The Matrix, and it's a bit mind-bending to think that the guy behind getting Neo's most loved moves on screen is the same one directing Wick's deadly ballet of violence for years.
6) Last words to John
Throughout the John Wick franchise, several characters who’ve just been fatally wounded surprisingly say similar goodbyes to John. Viggo Tarasov tells him, “I’ll be seeing you.” Ares says, “Be seeing you,” and Zero says they’ll “catch up.”
Another interesting fact? John's reactions are minutely different in each instance, possibly reflecting the changes in his mindset regarding death and revenge throughout the series.
7) A week timeline
One of the more thought-provoking facts about the series is just how compact the timeline of the story is. Though the movies came out over several years, the actual action in the first three films happens within roughly a week.
Hence, all the fierce revenge, the around-the-clock assassins, and world-building madness happened in fewer than seven in-universe days.
There's a list of new easter eggs hidden by director Chad Stahelski waiting to surprise fans in chapter 5. Lionsgate officially announced the fifth installment at CinemaCon in April 2025.
